Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-09-2020

Useful compilation of Civil Services oriented - Daily Current Affairs - Civil Services - 08-09-2020

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• SECTION 1 - TEN NEWS HEADLINES

1. Social – Govt. intervention in education policy should be minimal: PM – PM Modi said this emphasising that the policy belonged to the whole country, rather than to any particular government in power. Mr. Modi was addressing the inaugural session of the Governors’ conference on the National Education Policy (NEP), which is being attended by State Education Ministers and Vice-Chancellors. The focus of the conference is on the implementation of NEP. The PM urged the States to hold consultations with stakeholders on the implementation of the policy by September 25. With Governors being the Chancellors of the 400-plus universities — which have more than 40,000 affiliated colleges — they have a crucial role to play in the implementation of the NEP.
2. Defence – Hypersonic cruise vehicle test puts India in elite club – The hypersonic air-breathing scramjet technology was successfully demonstrated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with a flight test of the hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle (HSTDV), which will lead to the development of hypersonic cruise missiles and vehicles in future. A test of the technology demonstrator was conducted in June 2019.
3. Environment and Ecology – August rain second highest in a century  – August rainfall this year has been the highest since 1926 with 32.7 cm — or about 27% more than what is normal for the month — according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). In August 1926, the rainfall recorded was 34.8 cm. IMD officials said the rain for the monsoon season as a whole was likely to be within the department’s June forecast of a normal (96 to 104% of the long period average) rainfall.
4. Constitution and Law – HC’s acquittal in Udumalpet case needs serious consideration: SC – The SC said the Madras High Court’s decision to acquit a man sentenced to death for the daylight murder of his daughter’s Dalit husband in the sensational Udumalpet honour killing case in Tamil Nadu was a “matter requiring serious consideration”. A Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul admitted a criminal appeal filed by the State government immediately. The High Court acquitted B. Chinnasamy on June 22. The trial court had awarded him the death penalty. The High Court also modified the death penalty of the hit men Chinnasamy had hired to life sentence. The verdict sent shock waves across the State. The crime dates back to March 2016.
5. Social – Looking forward to the vaccine: SII CEO – Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer, Serum Institute of India (SII), whose company is to manufacture the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and AstraZeneca in India, is now at the university. The Pune-based SII is to produce one billion doses of the vaccine. The vaccine candidate, which is among the front-runners in the fight against COVID-19, is now undergoing Phase 3 clinical trials in Britain, Brazil, South Africa and India. In India, trials are on at 17 sites with 1,600 participants and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine is being looked into. Called ‘Covishield’ in India, it [the Oxford-Astrazeneca produced vaccine candidate] is one of the three vaccine candidates undergoing trials in the country, apart from Bharat Biotech’s ‘Covaxin’, and Zydus Cadila’s ‘ZCOV-D.
6. Business – Chanda Kochhar’s husband arrested in laundering case – The Enforcement Directorate arrested Deepak Kochhar, husband of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar, in a major development which is seen as a prelude to possible drastic action also against the once-celebrated boss of ICICI Bank and Venugopal Dhoot, the chairman of Videocon group. The ED’s action against the Kochhars comes ahead of the filing of a chargesheet in the case, with sources in the antimoney laundering agency claiming that they decided to take Deepak Kochhar, a businessman whose company received funds from Dhoot in lieu of ICICI Bank sanctioning loans to Videocon group, into custody because of his refusal to cooperate. Sources said the Kochhars and Dhoot have been dodging specific questions about the “quid pro quo” established by the money trail.
7. COVID-19 outbreak – India logged 40% of global cases, higher than US+Brazil count – Fresh infections in India dipped to 74,960 following a sharp fall in testing, but deaths soared to 1,125, the highest ever for a single day, taking the total toll to 72,725, as per data collated from states. Daily cases in India had crossed 94,000 on Sunday and were close to 90,000 the previous day. Put together, India recorded nearly 1,84,000 fresh infections over the weekend. By contrast, the US reported 73,202 infections over the week and Brazil 45,805, according to data from worldometers.info. Together the two countries accounted for less than 1.2 lakh cases. Deaths from the virus in the country crossed 1,100 for the first time, with Maharashtra recording 423 fatalities.
8. World – Saudi Arabia sentences 8 to prison in final Khashoggi murder ruling – A Saudi Arabian court jailed eight people for between seven and 20 years for the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, four months after his family forgave his killers and enabled death sentences to be set aside. Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was last seen on Oct. 2, 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, where he had gone to obtain documents for his impending wedding. Turkish officials allege he was killed and then his body was dismembered and removed from the building. His remains have not been found.
9. World – Alexei Navalny, Putin critic who was poisoned, is out of coma and improving – Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, hospitalized in Berlin for several weeks after being poisoned, has been taken out of his medically induced coma. Berlin's Charité hospital said Navalny's condition has improved and he is being weaned off mechanical ventilation. Navalny is responding to verbal stimuli, but the hospital said that it remains too early to gauge the potential long-term effects of his severe poisoning. The hospital only released details of Navalny's condition after first consulting with his wife, who reassured doctors that Navalny would want that information released. The 44-year-old politician, one of Putin's most prominent critics, became ill from poison on Aug. 20 during a domestic flight in Russia.
10. World – Brexit back in crisis as U.K. threatens to undercut divorce pact – The EU told Britain that there would be no trade deal if it tried to tinker with the Brexit divorce treaty, raising the prospect of a tumultuous end-of-year finale to the saga. In yet another twist to the four-year saga since Britain voted to quit the EU, PM Johnson’s govt was reported to be planning new legislation to override parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement it signed in January. That could jeopardize the whole treaty and create frictions in British-ruled Northern Ireland, where special arrangements had been made to avoid a hard border with Ireland to the south that could be detrimental to the 1998 peace agreement which ended three decades of conflict in the province.

Important Exam Notifications
S. No	Institution	Exam or Post Name	Vacancies or Seats	Qualification	Last Date to Apply	Link for Details
1	RMRC, NE Region	Scientist B, SRF, Res. Asst, Lab. Tech.	8	DMLT, Degree, PG	SEPT-20-2020	12th Class, DMLT, Degree, PG
2	BSIP	Lower Division Clerk & Multi Tasking Staff	15	ITI, Typing Knowledge	OCT-23-2020	https://bsip.res.in/admin/assets/pdf-file/Advertisement%20for%20the%20posts%20of%20LDC%20and%20MTS.pdf
3	Office of Dy Comm., Lakhimpur	Junior Assistant (Gr-III)	12	Diploma (Computer), Degree	SEPT-30-2020	http://lakhimpur.nic.in/Lakhimpur/notification/Advt_Junior_Asst_05_09_2020.pdf
4	Office of Dy Commissioner, Dibrugarh	Orunodoi Sahayak	26	Diploma (Computer), Degree	SEPT-9-2020	Diploma (Computer), Degree (Any Steam)
5	Office of Veterinary Dept, Korea	Veterinary Asst , Asst Veterinary Field Officer	10	DAH, B.V.Sc & AH	SEPT-21-2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s37750ca3559e5b8e1f44210283368fc16/uploads/2020/09/2020090538.pdf
6	CMHO, Durg	Lab Technician, Staff Nurse	13	DMLT/ BMLT, B.Sc, GNM	SEPT-14-2020	https://cdn.s3waas.gov.in/s3851ddf5058cf22df63d3344ad89919cf/uploads/2020/09/2020090620.pdf
7	Tripura PSC	Sub Inspector (Men)	22	Any Degree	OCT-5-2020	http://www.freejobalert.com/tpsc/16824/#SI

 

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• SECTION 2 - DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

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• 1. CONSTITUTION AND LAW (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

1.1 Weekly Roundup – Constitution and Law

• SC sentences Prashant Bhushan to a fine of rupee 1 in the contempt case for two of his tweets. Justices Arun Mishra, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari.
• NEET-JEE: SC dismisses review petition filed by 6 state ministers seeking postponement of exams. Justices Ashok Bhushan, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari
• Justice Arun Mishra bids farewell; says ‘I have dealt with every case with my conscience and conviction.’
• SC grants 10 years period for Telcos to clear AGR dues; first 10% to be paid by March 2021. Justices Arun Mishra, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari.
• Accounts not declared NPAs as on Aug 31, not to be declared as NPAs till matter is disposed of – SC. Justices Ashok Bhushan, R. Subhash Reddy and M. R. Shah.
• CBSE compartment exams – SC directs CBSE to file affidavit stipulating scheme, dates and details; hearing on Sept. 10. Justices A. M. Khanwilkar Dinesh Maheshwari and Sanjeev Khanna.
• SC refuses bail to 1994 anti-sikh riots accused Sajjan Kumar, says “This is no small case.” CJI S. A. Bobde, Justices A. S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian
• SC orders removal of 48,000 slums dwellings around Delhi rail tracks in 3 months; stops courts from granting stay. Justices Arun Mishra, B. R. Gavai and Krishna Murari   
• Serving Judicial Officers cannot club their previous experience as advocates to claim eligibility for elevation as HC judges: SC. CJI S. A. Bobde, Justices A. S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian
• SC stays disciplinary proceedings against MP district judge on account of sexual harrasment allegation; “Has become a trend now,” say CJI

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• 2. ECONOMY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper

2.1 The government is planning to set up a new Development Finance Institution (DFI)

• It will be used to finance both social and economic infrastructure projects identified under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP).
• NIP has projects totalling investments of Rs. 111 lakh crore across roads, railways, energy and urban sectors.
• The task force on NIP was headed by Atanu Chakraborty (economic affairs secretary).
• The DFI  either should be promoted by the government or it should be given a private sector character with the government restricting its holding to 49%. The govt. promoted DFI can raise fund easily.
• A DFI with a private sector character will require the government to believe and trust the private sector.
• This will require the government to maintain some distance from the private sector DFI institution and let it implement and execute projects aimed at improving the quality of life of all citizens.
• Banks being unable to provide long-term finance to infrastructure projects and Asset-Liability management mismatch are the major issues in infrastructure funding.
• DFIs are also known as Development banks. They are different from commercial banks which mobilise short- to medium-term deposits and lend for similar maturities. DFIs provide long-term credit for capital-intensive investments spread over a long period and yielding low rates of return, such as urban infrastructure, mining and heavy industry, and irrigation systems.
• Soon after independence, the institutional framework for development banking began- IFCI (1948), IDBI (1964), IIBI (1972), NABARD and EXIM Bank (1982), SIDBI (1990), etc but in the past few years, DFIs such as ICICI, IDBI and IDFC have transformed into universal banks as they did not have the advantage of low-cost funding for long term projects.

• The road ahead -

• To grow India 8-10% continuously, credit growth for infrastructure must be 12-14%. Infrastructure projects require long-term, big scale investments.  So a large DFI is a good idea. Compared with banks, a DFI provides long-term finance for social and economic infrastructure but they involve higher risk than what the ordinary financial system can bear.

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• 3. ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3, Essay paper)

3.1 Not Available Today

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• 4. FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Prelims, GS Paper 2, Essay paper)

4.1 Pacific Ocean island nation Palau invites US military to build base

• Key points – 

1. The tiny Pacific nation of Palau has urged the United States military to build bases on its territory -- which lies in a region where Washington is pushing back against growing Chinese influence.
2. Palau, though an independent nation, has no military of its own and is dependent on the US for its defence under the Compact for free Association treaty.

• Highlights –

1. Recently, Palau was visited by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, during which the Palauan president Tommy Remengesau told Esper that the US military was welcomed to build military bases in his country.
2. In addition, he also asserted that Palau was open to hosting land bases, port facilities and airfields of the US military.
3. Citing the treaty with Washington, the Palauan leader said that the country must use the  “mechanism of  Compact” to establish a regular US military presence in Palau.
4. In addition, he also suggested the US coast guards to have a regular presence and help the nation in patrolling its vast marine reserves, which is as large as the total territory of Spain.

• China banned residents from visiting Palau –

1. China, which claims Taiwan as a part of its territory, has previously tried to win over Taipei’ allies in Pacific, persuading Soloman Islands and Kiribati to stand against the island.
2. The communist nation approached Palau also but it refused. As a result, China banned its tourists from visiting the island nation in 2018.

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• 5. GOVERNMENT SCHEMES (Prelims, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3)

5.1 Not Available Today

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• 6. MISCELLANEOUS (Prelims, Various GS Papers)

6.1 Weekly Round-up – Accidents and Natural Disasters

• Culture Ministry creates 7 new circles of Archaeological Survey of India - The Ministry of Culture on August 26, 2020 announced the creation of 7 new circles of Archaeological Survey of India at Trichy (TN), Raiganj (West Bengal), Rajkot (Gujarat), Jabalpur (MP), Jhansi (UP) and Meerut (UP) to strengthen the process of preservation and registration of archaeological monuments. Also, Hampi Mini Circle has been converted into a full-fledged circle..
• Dutch writer Marieke Lucas Rijneveld wins International Booker Prize - Dutch writer Marieke Lucas Rijneveld was announced as the winner of the International Booker Prize for his novel ‘The Discomfort of Evening’ on August 26, 2020. The 50,000-pound ($66,000) award will be split between the author and translator Michele Hutchison. Books of fiction in any language that is translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland were considered.
• Assam: Renowned singer Archana Mahanta dies at 72 - Noted singer Archana Mahanta passed away in Guwahati, Assam on August 27, 2020 at the age of 72. She was an artist of All India Radio, Guwahati.

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• 7. POLITY (Prelims, GS Paper 2)

7.1 India, Russia to hold biennial bilateral maritime naval exercise ‘INDRA’ 

• Key points –

1. India and Russia will hold 11th edition of INDRA NAVY exercise, a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between the two naval forces in the Bay of Bengal from September 4 to 5.
   
   Important details –

1. Initiated in 2003, INDRA NAVY epitomises the long-term strategic relationship between the two Navies.
2. The exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, improving understanding & imbibing best practices between the two navies, & would involve surface & anti-aircraft drills, firing exercises, helicopter operations, seamanship evolutions etc.
3. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh noted that these exercises demonstrated the common interests of both countries in maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
4. Singh conveyed appreciation for the steadfast support provided by Russia consistent with the defence and security needs of India, and in this context, particularly noted the timely manner in which the Russian side had responded to requests for procurement of particular weapon systems.
5. Recently, the Defence Minister briefed Gen Shoigu on the `Make-in-India` defence programme in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat vision.
6. Both sides welcomed the advance stage of discussions for the establishment in India of an India-Russian Joint Venture for the production of AK203 assault rifles, which are considered one of the most modern weapons available for infantry forces.

7.2  Union Minister Prahlad Patel attends 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ meeting

• Key points –

1. Union Minister of State (I//C) for Culture and Tourism Shri Prahlad Singh Patel virtually attended 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting on September 3, 2020.
2. The 5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting was held through video conference under the Chairpersonship of Russian Federation.
3. The delegates from Culture Ministries of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of South Africa participated in the meeting.

• Highlights –

1. During the meeting the discussion was held on the impact of the epidemiological situation on the cultural sphere in the BRICS countries and review of the possible implementation of joint cultural online-projects within BRICS.
2. The Minister of State for Culture addressed participants of the meeting and presented India’s perspective to strengthen the cultural cooperation within BRICS through alternative mechanisms of sharing and organizing cultural events in online format given the prevailing pandemic situation.

• Some suggestions/events proposed by Indian side in Culture Minister’s address are as below –

1. To explore possibilities of hosting a Digital Online Exhibition on a Shared theme towards end of 2021 under the auspices of BRICS Alliance of Museums.  And to extend full cooperation and content sharing for website envisaged under the BRICS Alliance.
2. Opening the BRICS Corner under the auspices of BRICS Alliance of Libraries proposed to be inaugurated during the India’s BRICS Presidency in 2021.  The Corner will disseminate information related to the history and culture of BRICS countries. The corner will display the books, periodicals and other e-resources gifted by the BRICS countries, viz, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
3. The National Gallery of Modern Arts, New Delhi will host the BRICS Joint Exhibition titled ‘Bonding Regions & Imagining Cultural Synergies’ under the auspices of the BRICS Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries. The exhibition is proposed to be organized in 2021 coinciding with the BRICS event that India would be hosting in 2021. The exhibition aims to present around 100 works of art from the five prestigious institutions under the BRICS Alliance.

• Important detail –

1. Briefing on another decision by the Union Cabinet, Javadekar said, "Union Cabinet has approved three MoUs - one between Textile Ministry and Japan for quality evaluation method, between Mining Ministry and Finland and between Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Denmark.

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• 8. SOCIAL ISSUES (Prelims, GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2)

8.1 Indian jails remain overcrowded and under-staffed, NCRB data shows

• Data analysis –

1. The number of inmates in prisons in India has increased over the past one year.
2. The data showed that jails across India remained overcrowded in 2019, lodging 4.78 lakh prisoners against the actual capacity of 4.03 lakh.
3. Prisons were also under-staffed, with a sanctioned strength of 87,599 personnel, while the actual strength was 60,787 as on December 31, 2019.
4. During the year 2019, a total of 18,86,092 inmates were admitted in various jails of the country.
5. The number of convicts, undertrial inmates and detenues were reported at 1.44 lakh, 3.30 lakh and 3,223 respectively accounting for 30.11%, 69.05% and 0.67% respectively at the end of 2019.
6. Other prisoners accounted for 0.2% (765) of total prisoners.
7. The total number of prisons across the country however increased from 1,339 in 2018 to 1,350 in 2019.

• Important details –

1. The highest number of jails were reported in Rajasthan (144) followed by Tamil Nadu (141), Madhya Pradesh (131), Andhra Pradesh (106), Karnataka (104) and Odisha (91).
2. The NCRB said that these six states alone accounted for 53.11% of the total jails in the country.
3. Uttar Pradesh has reported the highest number of district jails at 62 while Tamil Nadu reported the highest number of sub jails at 96.
4. Out of the 4.78 lakh prisoners in 2019, 4.58 lakh were men and 19,913 women.
5. The central jails of the country had the highest capacity of inmates (1.77 lakh) followed by district jails (1.58 lakh) and sub jails (45,071).
6. The highest number of inmates were lodged in central jails (2.20 lakh) followed by district jails (2.06 lakh) and sub jails (38,030).
7. The total number of inmates in women jails were 3,652, the data showed.
8. The highest occupancy rate was in district jails (129.7%) followed by central jails (123.9%) and sub jails (84.4%). The occupancy rate in women jails was 56.1%.
9. The sanctioned strength of medical staff in these jails was 3,320, while the actual strength was 1,962 as on December 31, 2019.
10. The actual strength of women jail officers and staff was 7,794 (including 254 medical staff) that year.

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• 9. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (Prelims, GS Paper 3)

9.1 Not Available Today

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• 10. FACTS, CHARTS, RANKINGS and EDITORIALS (Prelims + GS Mains)

10.1 Vice-President releases ‘The State of Young Child in India’ report

• Key point – 

1. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has released ‘The State of Young Child in India’ report, a comprehensive account of the challenges related to early child development in India.

• Highlights –

• The report has been prepared by Mobile Creches, a policy advocacy organisation which works with the underprivileged children across India.
• As per the report, out of 159 million children aged below 6 years in India, 21 per cent are undernourished, 36 per cent are underweight and 38 per cent do not receive full immunization.
• The report also pointed to the insurmountable evidence of the huge returns on investment in Early Childhood Development (ECD) at the individual, household and country levels.
• Based on ranking and values on the Young Child Outcome Index (YCOI), the report named Kerala, Goa, Tripura and TN to be among the top performers, while eight states-- Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, MP, Jharkhand, UP and Bihar-- with scores below the national average lagged behind.

10.2 Daily dose of  FIVE Facts -

• Mike Pence is the Vice-Presidential candidate of Republican Party in the forthcoming elections.
• Pandit Jasraj belonged to Mewati Gharana of Hindustani classical music.
• Isher Judge Ahluwalia has stepped down as Chairperson of which  Indian Council for Research on International Economic Research.
• Delhi government in Aug 2020 launched an Electric Vehicle Policy that will provide incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for two-wheelers, autos and e-rickshaws.
• India’s Archana Soreng has been named by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his new Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

10.3 Today's best editorials to read

• We offer you 7 excellent editorials from across 10 newspapers we have scanned. 

CLICK HERE TO OPEN AND READ!

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• SECTION 3 - MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

Solve the online quiz given, right now. Check scores, and relative performance!

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